Radovanić: Citizens will quickly feel a chain wave of price increases, and the Government is not taking any concrete measures

Every new fuel price increase automatically means more expensive transportation, which means more expensive food on supermarket shelves. Citizens will very quickly feel a chain wave of price increases, while the Government is still not taking any concrete measures.

This was stated in a press release by the Secretary General of the Civic Movement (GP) URA, Mileta Radovanić, who recalled that a few weeks ago the movement called on the Government to urgently reduce excise taxes on fuel in order to mitigate the impact on citizens' living standards.

He added that they have also submitted a proposal for amendments to the Excise Law in this regard, but that the government remains silent while fuel prices will continue to rise drastically despite all the changes.

Radovanić warned that a new adjustment of fuel prices has already been announced, which could bring an additional price increase of up to 25 cents per liter, which will directly affect transportation prices, but also basic foodstuffs.

He emphasized that many countries in the region have reacted much more decisively to protect the standard of living of their citizens and reduce excise taxes on fuel.

"In Croatia, the government limited the maximum prices of fuel at the pumps and at the same time reduced excise taxes. In Serbia, excise taxes on fuel were temporarily reduced and a regulation was introduced by which the state limits the maximum retail prices of derivatives. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there was discussion about temporarily abolishing excise taxes, which could lower the price of fuel by up to 20 eurocents per liter. In our country, the government is silent and does not react, and the result is that citizens will soon pay more for almost everything, from bread to transportation bills," said the Secretary General of the GP URA.

"All of this shows that states have the instruments to react when energy prices rise. Unfortunately, the Government of Montenegro is choosing to do nothing and fill the budget through high excise taxes, while citizens are suffering increasing pressure on their household budgets by paying increasingly expensive fuel. Therefore, we once again call on the parliamentary majority to support the ERO's proposal to reduce excise taxes on fuel. This is the fastest measure that can bring concrete relief to citizens and prevent a new wave of price increases for food and other products," concluded Radovanić.